Welcome to Sleighing Season: the Christmas dating trend proving festive fun isn’t just for couples

Written by Amy Beecham

As romantic as winter walks and cosying up by the fire may be, Christmas doesn’t only serve those coupled up. In fact, as dating app Badoo has found, plenty of singles are finding joy in a solo festive season. 

Between sickly-sweet festive romcoms and fielding well-meaning (but downright annoying) questions about your love life across the dinner table, Christmas isn’t always an easy time to be single. But it appears that isn’t the case for everyone. 

New research by dating app Badoo has revealed that half (46%) of singles don’t feel pressured to be in a relationship over the festive season, despite the added family and social pressure. Instead, almost half (42%) say they actually aren’t envious of others in relationships, while two-thirds (62%) feel excited, happy and optimistic about dating this winter.

This positive outlook has led the good people at Badoo to coin this new dating trend ‘Sleighing Season’ – as singles say no to the pressures of cuffing, drafting and snow-globing and live their best lives over the Christmas period.

Unsurprisingly, Sleighing Season is all about staying true to yourself and finding fulfilment outside of a romantic relationship. That means maintaining healthy boundaries, finding the joy of single life and absolutely no messaging old flames who aren’t right for you, just to fill a void over the festive break. 

How to embrace Sleighing Season this Christmas

Avoid texting your ex

“When we feel lonely, especially during times like Christmas, texting an ex can feel very tempting. However, we need to remember that we often look back with rose-tinted glasses, and there is usually a reason as to why the relationship did not work out,” explains dating and relationship coach Kate Mansfield.

“It’s important to remember the negative as well as the positive. Obviously, there are exceptions and occasionally reuniting with an ex is a good idea, but if this is the case, make sure to think it through carefully, and do it for the right reasons, not because you are lonely. Use the Christmas period to work on your vision for your love life, then compare this with your ex. Do they match up? If not, forget them.”

Avoid relationship envy

According to Mansfield, the best thing is to get really comfortable with your own company.

“Take yourself out on some fabulous dates; go to places that you’ve always wanted to visit. Learn to feel comfortable in your own skin and in your own company. Remember, it’s an empowering thing to feel comfortable by yourself, and is in fact very important before heading into any relationship. Being with someone just for the sake of being with someone, and particularly for the sake of being with someone over Christmas, may make you feel lonelier in the long run. A wrong connection is worse than being on your own and being free to explore amazing new opportunities.”

Don’t let the pressure get to you

“Try to see being single as a choice; make it an empowered decision, keep working on yourself, growing and developing your emotional and physical self,” adds Mansfield. “This means that you are showing up as the best person you can be, and are much more likely to attract an available, loving, fabulous partner who can meet your needs. It has to start with you.”

Just embrace it!

And lastly, don’t overthink things. “What many people don’t realise is that the Christmas season is without a doubt the best time of year to date,” she explains. “It’s a fun time of year, and being single is fun! Not to mention it is full of potential, opportunity and single people ready to date. Use the time to start thinking about what you want, and really allow yourself to enjoy dating, taking your time and having fun in the process.”

Images: Getty

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